In Unity: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

This Grade 2 work delivers exactly what a growing ensemble needs: a piece with genuine musical substance and a clear emotional arc that doesn't require advanced technique to execute. The structural genius lies in how Tippette builds toward that unison moment in the upper woodwinds and trumpet, giving students a shared goal and a payoff that feels earned rather than handed to them. It programs beautifully on a concert dedicated to themes of community and collective purpose.

In Unity opens with a sense of quiet deliberation, as if separate voices are finding common ground. The texture gradually solidifies and the harmonic language deepens as the piece unfolds, creating a genuine sense of voices joining together. By the conclusion, when those upper woodwinds and trumpet sing in unison, the effect is transformative: what began as individuals coming into alignment resolves into something cohesive and affirmative.

Band directors working with Grade 2 ensembles who want to program music that combines accessibility with meaningful musical content. This piece suits developing bands preparing for concert or festival performance, and it offers young musicians a chance to explore what unified ensemble playing actually sounds and feels like.

• Shape the early section carefully so the texture feels purposeful rather than sparse; even when parts are minimal, every voice contributes to the atmosphere of unity.
• Balance the upper woodwind and trumpet unison at the conclusion with care; this moment should soar without overwhelming the harmonic foundation beneath it.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to establish the piece's steady pulse and harmonic context during sectional rehearsals, allowing the band to focus on blend and ensemble cohesion.

Pair this as the centerpiece of a concert exploring themes of connection, community, or collaboration; its three-minute-fifty-second length fits comfortably between larger works or as a reflective closing piece. It also works well as a festival entry for bands looking for repertoire that is musically honest without requiring virtuosic facility.

• Blend and balance across the ensemble, particularly when multiple sections carry equal weight
• Ensemble listening and responding to other voices in progress toward a unified sound
• Reading and sustaining longer melodic lines with proper phrase direction
• Maintaining steady harmonic foundation while upper voices move independently